Faith Sunday! The Experience of Christmas: Christmas Play and Elizabeth

[info_box]As you will see today, the word table is important to us. We view this time as a gathering, not of spectators but of friends and family, to be close to one another and live with each other. Please feel welcome and if you have any questions or concerns please ask.[/info_box]

The Kids Christmas Play!

The Narrator: From Isaiah

We look for light. But we see nothing but darkness. We look for brightness. But we walk in deep shadows.

Like blind people we feel our way along the wall. We are like those who can’t see.

At noon we trip and fall as if the sun had already set. We want the LORD to do what is fair and save us.

We long for him to set us free. But the time for that seems far away.

That’s because we’ve done so many things he considers wrong. Our sins prove that we are guilty.

The wrong things we’ve done are always troubling us. We admit that we have sinned.

We’ve refused to obey the LORD. We’ve turned our backs on our God.

We’ve stirred up trouble and refused to follow him. In fact, truth can’t be found anywhere.

The LORD sees that people aren’t treating others fairly. That makes him unhappy.

The Narrator: From Isaiah

The Lord announced to his people, “I set you free. I will come to Mount Zion. I will come to those in Jacob’s family who turn away from their sins,”

“Here is the covenant I will make with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit is on you. I have put my words in your mouth. People of Jerusalem, get up. Shine, because your light has come. My glory will shine on you. Darkness covers the earth. Thick darkness spreads over the nations. But I will rise and shine on you. My glory will appear over you. Nations will come to your light.

Elizabeth is Encouraging.

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Luke 1

39At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!43But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.45Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Jesus Sends Out The 12.

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Luke 9

1When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.4Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town.5If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”6So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

7Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, 8others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. 9But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.

[prk_accordion][prk_ac_single title="Guatemala Stove Project"]Everyday Guatemalans who live in extreme poverty spend 6-8 hours daily cooking on open fires which are in there house. These indoor open fires produce toxic gases which can give the women, infants and toddlers all manor of cardiovascular problems, such as pneumonia bronchitis ,impaired vision, eye disease, chronic cough, not to mention the heat from an open fire with a bare metal hot plat which can easily burn a small hand reaching for something in error.As bad as these conditions are for these families, it makes me even sadder that these conditions are normative for the culture of the poor in Guatemala. However there is a breath of clean air coming. A Native Guatemalan Named Almicar saw this problem and has worked hard to overcome it for the poor of his country. He has designed the Champina stove. This Stove is more efficient (it uses 70% less fuel that the previous ways of cooking) This Stove is Safer. Only the cooking surface is dangerous to the touch.)THis Stove is dramatically healther. Chapina stoves vent 90% of toxic smoke. One user, Josefina, says, “I have cooked tortillas for 45 years. For the first time in my life I am cooking tortillas without smoke. My stove has made cooking easier.” Another user states, “I had headaches everyday and my eyes burned a lot. I realize now that it was the smoke in my kitchen that caused these problems. I feel better now. This Stove is not just about cooking but also helps create a culture of Health. And it just not about the families receiving the Stove. It is about creating jobs because the stoves were designed and manufactured in Guatemala. So This sounds amazing right? So how can you support this. One Stove Costs 125 dollars. But that i not what i want you to pay. Becasue we want these families to have pride of ownership of this stove so they have to pay for the cinder block base and 25 dollars of the stove. Now that 25 dollars is about 1 to 2 week of work. How much do you make in 2 weeks. A tax-free donation of just $100.00 will help a family purchase a stove which will have a huge impact on an average family of 6 in many positive ways for many years. Make a donatioin at faithbentonville.com/stove[/prk_ac_single][/prk_accordion]

Faith Of Theology :

19 Ways to Encourage Others

Encouragement goes straight to the heart.In fact, the word itself comes from a combination of the prefix “en” which means “to put into” and the Latin word “cor” which means heart.

Knowing what a big difference encouragement makes in your own life, what can you do to help others “to take heart” when the going gets tough and way feels long?

Become aware of what encourages you, and do those same things for others.

Learn individuals’ “love language”-the special way in which they feel most valued. In his book, The Five Languages of Love, Gary Chapman explains that not everyone’s emotional needs are met in the same way, and that it’s important to learn to speak others’ love language. The five love languages are: words of affirmation, spending quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service and physical touch.

If an encouraging thought comes to mind, share it! It may not have the same effect if you wait. Don’t let shyness hold you back. Instead, form a new habit: “Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today…” (Hebrews 3:13)...........................................

Continuing with their tradition of creating modern interpretations of timeless Christmas carols and hymns, Future of Forestry has released Advent Christmas EP Volume 3, which successfully blends old with new in a truly unique setting.

The EP features alternative renditions of some of the most classic and revered Christmas songs, including: Silent Night, Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring, Carol of the Bells, O Come All Ye Faithful and Still Still Still.

Vol. 3 is designed to be a cohesive piece that merges seamlessly with the EPs that were released in years past. With epic sound, creative interpretation, unique instrumentation and traditional values, this Advent EP, like the ones before it, hope to honor and enhance this most holy of seasons.